22 CHOICES | 2013 SPRING ISSUE
Knowledge is Power- There are ways to protect your personal information. The best way is to be aware of your PII, personal identifiable information. The loss of your identity is a serious issue and it could cost you time and money to regain your identity. Here are some steps that will give you the knowledge to protect yourself and your family from fraud crimes.
CHECK YOUR WALLET / PURSE
KEEP COPIES & RECORDS
GUARD AGAINST MAIL THEFT
Don’ t carry your Social
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Security card or the cards of your children or spouse in your wallet or purse. Normal daily activities do not deem it necessary to carry these items. Your Social Security card is one of the main sources identity thieves use to obtain your personal identifiable information.
If your Social Security number is on your health insurance card, remove that from your wallet or purse as well.
Consider putting your driver’ s license in a separate holder. This way, if your wallet is stolen, your license – and the personal information contained on it – may still be safe.
Don’ t carry all your credit cards with you. If you carry only one card at a time, you cut down on the risk of someone gaining access to all your accounts.
Don’ t carry a list of Internet passwords with you.
Keep photocopies and
2 records of your credit cards and other accounts in a safe place. This will make it easier to contact your account providers, and cancel your accounts quickly, should your cards be stolen. This goes for Internet providers, banks, and other passwords, too.
KEEP YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER SAFE
Never give your Social
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Security number to someone without knowing the recipient. If asked for your Social Security number, always ask the question why. And if they don’ t need it, don’ t feel obligated to provide it. Ask if there is some other information you can give them in lieu of this important personal information.
Change your mail habits.
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The safest way to safeguard your mail is to use a locked box. Consider renting a post office box, and drop bills into an official U. S. locked mailbox instead of leaving them in a non-secured personal mailbox in front of your house. Don’ t place sensitive outgoing mail into an open bin at school or work.
PROTECT BANK INFORMATION
Safeguard your banking
5 information. When you order new checks, have them delivered to the bank instead of to your home or office. The bank will hold them until you personally pick them up. You should also consider paying your bills online. This can often be done through either your own bank’ s website, or through your creditor’ s website. Many companies will also send electronic bills directly to your email account.